FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Gaze, [email protected]
Will Rollins to Face Off Against Ken Calvert in November, as Initial Results Show More Democrats than Republicans Voted in New Congressional District
Vulnerable Incumbent Receives Less than 50% of the Votes Tallied Thus Far in California’s 41st Congressional District
PALM SPRINGS, CA — Former federal prosecutor Will Rollins advanced to the November General Election against incumbent Ken Calvert, with results so far showing that the votes for Democratic candidates outpaced all Republicans combined in California’s new 41st Congressional district. Rep. Calvert received less than 50% of the votes tallied by the early morning of June 8, making him one of the most vulnerable Republicans in California this cycle.
Will Rollins released the following statement:
“November is not going to be about Democrats versus Republicans: it’s going to be about integrity versus corruption in Riverside County.
“No one wants to be represented by someone who uses our tax dollars to make money for himself; who gives billions in subsidies to massive oil corporations – the same ones that fill his campaign coffers – as they charge us $7-per gallon and rake in all-time record profits; and who just voted against giving our combat veterans health care.
“I spent the last five years working in federal law enforcement to protect every single voter in this congressional district. Republicans and Democrats alike are sick of public corruption in Riverside County. My mission is to end it.
“As we enter this next phase, I want to thank everyone who’s supported this campaign. From my campaign staff, to the volunteers, to the elected leaders, to the incredible people who have enabled us to shatter fundraising records and even to outraise Ken Calvert, your generosity and your time and your effort made this victory possible. I am beyond grateful to all of you. I also want to thank the other Democratic candidates who were in this race – Shrina Kurani and Brandon Mosely – for running campaigns centered on ideas, shared values, and new leadership.”
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Why CA-41 is one of Democrats’ best pick-up opportunities this cycle:
Primary Election Results: So far, preliminary results from Tuesday Night’s Primary show that the combined Democratic vote total exceeded all votes for the Republican candidates combined, highlighting Calvert’s extraordinary vulnerability in November. Moreover, there are now more registered Democrats in the district than Republicans. There are also 90,000 voters in the district with no party preference, and Will has the profile and national security experience to reach them. The new district also includes Palm Springs, and if Will is elected, he will be only the second openly gay man in Congress from California ever.
Polling: A third-party poll shows that only 17% of voters in the new 41st Congressional District would vote to reelect Ken Calvert. The same poll shows that after voters in this new district learn of Rep. Calvert’s history of corruption – including his use of taxpayer funds and inside information to line his own pockets in local real estate deals – Will beats Calvert head-to-head by 10 points.
Fundraising: Rollins announced that he outraised Republican Ken Calvert in the final FEC reporting period ahead of the June 7 primary, bringing his total raise to more than $1,000,000 overall. Rollins is the first challenger in history to raise more than $1,000,000 against Calvert.
Geography: California’s 41st Congressional District includes the Riverside County communities of Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Corona, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Norco, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, a portion of Riverside, and Wildomar. Most of the largest cities in the new congressional district voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
The DCCC has added CA-41 to its “Battleground List”: In an election year that will be critical in our efforts to keep Democratic control in Congress, CA-41 is one of the few places in the country where Democrats have a chance to go on OFFENSE and unseat a far-right Republican who hasn’t faced a serious challenge in more than a decade.
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